The Archdiocese of Portland has been named in a lawsuit alleging sexual abuse
by Paulist Father Rocco Perone, CSP. Father Perone was assigned by his religious
order to St. Philip Neri parish in Portland from 1951 to 1956. He left Portland in 1956
and did not serve in ministry in Oregon after that. The Archdiocese has no record of
receiving any complaints against Father Perone while he was in Portland. Father
Perone died in 1992.

As the Archdiocese has noted before, dealing with a lawsuit involving things
which allegedly happened 50 years ago, particularly when the priest named is
deceased, presents great challenges to the legal system as well as to the Archdiocese
of Portland.

The Archdiocese of Portland deplores all forms of harm to human life and
condemns the abuse or intentional neglect of children. Child abuse is contrary to all
that the Catholic Church believes and professes about the dignity of human persons.
The Archdiocese is committed to preventing child abuse and recognizing signs of child
abuse in the children it serves.